“[Jesus] teaches that the exact truth should be the law of speech. ‘Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one’ (Matthew 5:37, RV)

“These words condemn all those meaningless phrases and expletives that border on profanity. They condemn the deceptive compliments, the evasion of truth, the flattering phrases, the exaggerations, the misrepresentations in trade, that are current in society and in the business world. They teach that no one who tries to appear what he is not, or whose words do not convey the real sentiment of his heart, can be called truthful. . . .

“Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan; and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one.”1

“These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord” (Zechariah 8:16, 17).

“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).

“Learn that Christlike love is of heavenly birth, and that without it all other qualifications are worthless.”2

“The love of God has been waning in the church, and as a result, the love of self has sprung up into new activity. With the loss of love for God there has come the loss of love for the brethren.”3

“How careful we should be, that our words and actions are all in harmony with the sacred truth that God has committed to us!”4

“It is not the ready speaker, the sharp intellect, that counts with God. It is the earnest purpose, the deep piety, the love of truth, the fear of God, that has a telling influence. A testimony from the heart, coming from lips in which is no guile, full of faith and humble trust, though given by a stammering tongue, is accounted of God as precious as gold; while the smart speech, the eloquent oratory, of the one to whom is entrusted large talents, but who is wanting in truthfulness, in steadfast purpose, in purity, in unselfishness, are as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. He may say witty things, he may relate amusing anecdotes, he may play upon the feelings; but the spirit of Jesus is not in it. All these things may please unsanctified hearts, but God holds in His hands the balances that weigh the words, the spirit, the sincerity, the devotion, and He pronounces it altogether lighter than vanity.”5

Although scriptural doctrines, accurate prophetic understanding, and uncompromising courage are essential, there is given warning to all who believe the present truth.

“No matter how high the profession, he whose heart is not filled with love for God and his fellow men is not a true disciple of Christ. Though he should possess great faith and have power even to work miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless. He might display great liberality; but should he, from some other motive than genuine love, bestow all his goods to feed the poor, the act would not commend him to the favor of God. In his zeal he might even meet a martyr’s death, yet if not actuated by love, he would be regarded by God as a deluded enthusiast or an ambitious hypocrite.”6

“There is nothing that can so weaken the influence of the church as the lack of love.”7

“One class have come up without self-control; they have not bridled the temper or the tongue; and some of these claim to be Christ’s followers, but they are not. Jesus has set them no such example. When they have the meekness and lowliness of the Saviour, they will not act out the promptings of the natural heart, for this is of Satan. Some are nervous, and if they begin to lose self-control in word or spirit under provocation, they are as much intoxicated with wrath as the inebriate is with liquor. They are unreasonable, and not easily persuaded or convinced. They are not sane; Satan for the time has full control. Every one of these exhibitions of wrath weakens the nervous system and the moral powers and makes it difficult to restrain anger on another provocation. With this class there is only one remedy - positive self-control under all circumstances. The effort to get into a favorable place, where self will not be annoyed, may succeed for a time; but Satan knows where to find these poor souls and will assail them in their weak points again and again. They will be continually troubled so long as they think so much of self. They carry the heaviest load a mortal can lift, that is self, unsanctified and unsubdued.”8

“Had Lucifer really desired to be like the Most High, he would never have deserted his appointed place in heaven; for the spirit of the Most High is manifested in unselfish ministry. Lucifer desired God’s power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same.”9

“The envious man diffuses poison wherever he goes, alienating friends and stirring up hatred and rebellion against God and man. He seeks to be thought best and greatest, not by putting forth heroic, self-denying efforts to reach the goal of excellence himself, but by standing where he is and diminishing the merit due to the efforts of others.”10

“The church at . . . need a self-abasing unpretending spirit. I have been shown that many are cherishing an unholy desire for the supremacy. Many love to be flattered and are jealously watching for slights or neglect. . . .

“While you are so eagerly striving to be first, remember that you will be last in the favor of God if you fail to cherish a meek and lowly spirit. Pride of heart will cause many to fail where they might have made a success.”11

“Evilspeaking is a twofold curse, falling more heavily upon the speaker than upon the hearer. He who scatters the seeds of dissension and strife, reaps in his own soul the deadly fruits. How miserable is the talebearer, the surmiser of evil! He is a stranger to true happiness.

“ ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ (Matthew 5:9). Grace and peace rest upon those who refuse to join in the strife of tongues. When venders of scandal are passing from family to family, those who fear God will chaste keepers at home. The time that is so often worse than wasted in idle, frivolous, and malicious gossip should be given to higher and nobler objects. If the professed followers of Jesus would indeed become missionaries for God, visiting the sick and afflicted, and laboring patiently and kindly for the erring - in short, if they would copy the Pattern - the church would have prosperity in all her borders.”12

What attitude should a church member take when another comes to him or her to whisper a complaint concerning any brother or sister?

“ ‘If any man [or woman] among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain’ (James 1:26). Many will be weighed in the balance and found wanting in this matter of so great importance. Where are the Christians who walk by this rule? who will take God’s part against the evilspeaker? who will please God, and set a watch, a continual watch, before the mouth, and keep the door of the lips? Speak evil of no man. Hear evil of no man. If there be no hearers, there will be no speakers of evil. If anyone speaks evil in your presence, check him. Refuse to hear him, though his manner be ever so soft and his accents mild. He may profess attachment, and yet throw out covert hints and stab the character in the dark.

“Resolutely refuse to hear, though the whisperer complains of being burdened till he speak. Burdened indeed! with a cursed secret which separateth very friends. Go, burdened ones, and free yourselves from your burden in God’s appointed way. First go tell your brother his fault between you and him alone. If this fail, next take with you one or two friends, and tell him in their presence. If these steps fail, then tell it to the church. Not an unbeliever is to be made acquainted with the slightest particular of the matter. Telling it to the church is the last step to be taken. Publish it not to the enemies of our faith. They have no right to the knowledge of church matters, lest the weakness and errors of Christ’s followers be exposed.”13

This is a door which can be shut and must be shut by every true follower of Christ. Those who fail to shut this door will find that Satan by his agents will pile up his rubbish against it until it can no longer be shut.

What attitude should ministers and others in church responsibility take toward those who come to them with a report against any coworker or member?

“When a person comes to a minister or to men in positions of trust with complaints against a brother or a sister, let the minister ask, ‘Have you complied with the rules our Saviour has given?’ And if he has failed to carry out any particular of this instruction, do not listen to a word of his complaint. In the name and Spirit of Jesus, refuse to take up a report against your brother or your sister in the faith. If members of the church go contrary to these rules, they make themselves subjects for church discipline and should be under the censure of the church. This matter, so plainly taught in the lessons of Christ, has been treated with strange indifference. The church has either neglected her work entirely in the matter of correcting evil, or has done it with harshness and severity, thus wounding and bruising souls. Measures should be taken to correct this cruel spirit of criticism, of judging the motives of others, as though Christ had revealed to men the hearts of their brethren.”14

Our ministers, missionary workers, and church officers must first all practice this divine rule. They must gather their congregation and present before them this obligation. The evil speaker should be checked at once. The church of God will not progress until this door by which the enemy so often enters is resolutely closed. In the light of this instruction, how would we classify those who write evil reports against others and against the work, and yet never reveal it at the right time to those in responsibility? The evil speaker who whispers in the ear of another commits three evils: (1) against himself or herself; (2) against the one spoken about, and (3) against the one whose character is being destroyed. “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” “A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue” (Proverbs 10:18; 17:4).

The words of the whisperer might be forgotten, but the written report continues its devastating work to poison the one who reads it and the one who hears it.

“Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear” (Nehemiah 6:17-19).

This work, so effective in sowing doubt, discord, and division among brethren, is classed by Solomon as one of the seven abominations. It is a betrayal of most sacred trusts and treachery to the church and the kingdom of heaven. The evil speaker today can be classified with the ten spies who, by their evil reports of the land of Canaan, led the whole congregation into rebellion.

“The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace” (Isaiah 59:8).

“My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war” (Psalm 120:6, 7).

“Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease” (Proverbs 22:10).

The remnant church of God today must face the same spirit of rebellion as in the days of Israel. Watch out! If not careful, you might find yourself being used by Satan as his agent to complete his work. “And we may expect just such things in these last days, for Satan is just as busy now as he was in the congregation of Israel”15

“Human beings belong to one great family - the family of God. The Creator designed that they should respect and love one another, ever manifesting a pure, unselfish interest in one another’s welfare. But Satan’s aim has been to lead men to self first; and yielding themselves to his control, they have developed a selfishness that has filled the world with misery and strife, setting human beings at variance with one another. Selfishness is the essence of depravity, and because human beings have yielded to its power, the opposite of allegiance to God is seen in the world today. Nations, families, and individuals are filled with a desire to make self a center. Man longs to rule over his fellow men. Separating himself in his egotism from God and his fellow beings, he follows his unrestrained inclinations. He acts as if the good of others depended on their subjection to his supremacy.

“Selfishness has brought discord into the church, filling it with unholy ambition. . . .

“Selfishness destroys Christlikeness, filling man with self-love. It leads to continual departure from righteousness. Christ says, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48). But self-love is blind to the perfection which God requires. . . .

“Christ came to this world to reveal the love of God. His followers are to continue the work which He began. Let us strive to help and strengthen one another. Seeking the good of others is the way in which true happiness can be found. Man does not work against his own interest by loving God and his fellow men. The more unselfish his spirit, the happier he is, because he is fulfilling God’s purpose for him. The breath of God is breathed through him, filling him with gladness. To him life is a sacred trust, precious in his sight because given by God to be spent in ministering to others.”16

“Satan designs to keep the church in a state of wrangling, envy, jealousy, and evil surmising, so that brethren cannot pray or work in harmony; while thus at variance, they fail to bring the saving power of the truth to bear upon the heart of unbelievers. . . .

“[The disciples] were not assembled to relate tidbits of scandal. They were not seeking to expose every stain they could find on a brother’s character. They felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy unction to help them in overcoming their own infirmities, and to fit them for the work of saving others. They prayed with intense earnestness that the love of Christ might be shed abroad in their hearts. This is our great need today in every church in our land. . . . All selfishness is expelled, all envy, all evilspeaking is rooted out, and a radical transformation is wrought in the heart.”17

Let us now invite Christ to come and reign in our heart and bless our church!